Leandro “DD” Coronel, political columnist, died on Monday after a brief illness. He was 70 years old.
Coronel was an active participant in the online discussion of the burning issues of the day, a steadfast advocate of freedom of expression and unwavering respect for people’s rights.
He is survived by his sisters: Alice Paras, Gregoria (Baby) de Luna, Rosario (Charrie) Reyes, and Asuncion (Nini) Nuqui, and in-laws, nieces, nephews, and his siblings’ grandchildren.
Coronel’s funeral wake will be at the residence of his sister, Alice, in Brgy. San Antonio, Floridablanca, Pampanga, from Sept. 3 to Sept. 6.
His body will be cremated and inurned at the Eternal Covenant Memorial Park in Floridablanca.
Coronel applied for work at the World Bank in Washington, DC, as an undergraduate student.
He capitalized on his writing skills to rise from the ranks to become a writer/editor and finally, senior press officer and spokesman.
He was one of only two Filipinos to hold the position of spokesman based in Washington, DC.
The World Bank is a multilateral organization, with more than 100 member nations, tasked to assist poor countries in developing their economies through lending and technical assistance for specific projects. Coronel was with the bank from 1969 to 1997.
Coronel helped organize the World Bank-IMF Filipino Association even when forming national groupings were frowned upon by the two multilateral organizations based in Washington, DC. He was elected founding president of the association.